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Checking of outsiders vehicles at Panjab University Chandigarh on Monday. Express Photo by Sahil Walia

Panjab University on Monday restricted entry to the campus for those not possessing any ID cards. Security was beefed up and checks were conducted at gate numbers 1 and 2.

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Following the firing incident inside the university premises on April 7, the university officials had issued instructions to adopt measures to limit the entry of outsiders inside the varsity.

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On Monday, the security personnel stopped every passer-by, requesting them to show an ID card before allowing entry to the campus. Students, faculty members and non-teaching staff members were also allowed to enter the campus only after proper verification of their cards.

Outsiders, however, were not allowed to enter the campus unless prior appointments/permissions had been sought. For outsiders who wished to visit specific departments, the security personnel cross-checked with the respective departments before letting them to enter the campus.

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The outsiders who had sought prior permission were made to park their cars near Gate No. 1 of the university, and were not allowed to take their vehicles inside the premises. “We have been issued instructions to check ID cards of each and every person who wishes to enter the university. People who have failed to submit ID proofs or did not have any valid reason to visit the varsity were not allowed to enter the campus,” said a security personnel deputed at the Gate No. 1. For visitors who wished to visit the residential area, entry was allowed only through Gate No. 3 of the university.

PU Registrar Col (Retd) G S Chadha, who along with PU Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover, had attended the emergency meeting after the firing incident in order to examine the university’s security mechanism, told Chandigarh Newsline, “As was decided in the meeting, we have started to keep tabs on every person who enters the university. Monday was the first day when we regulated the entry of outsiders by checking them. This is now going to be a routine exercise.”

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The exercise, which aimed at increasing the security of the university premises, however, led to traffic jams near PU’s gate numbers 1 and 2 during the early hours of Monday, as students and faculty members rushed to gain access to the varsity. Many vehicles were told to turn back from the gates only, in the absence of ID cards or proper permissions.

A student of PU, Tejinder Singh, told Chandigarh Newsline, “After the firing incident on the campus earlier this month, we were already issued instructions that we must carry our ID cards with us. However, for some of us, this is new. We will take some time to get accustomed to it. Many students did not have their ID cards today, and had to head back home to get the cards before being allowed inside.”

“For now, we have not barricaded the three main arteries of the university i.e. the road leading to Gandhi Bhawan, the road leading to the VC’s office and the road leading to the Admin Block. Increasing the security mechanism will be a step-by-step process, as we also want to ensure that the students, teachers and others visiting the campus do not face a lot of hassle. The barricading will consequently be put in place after we meet with the requirement of more security personnel for the varsity,” Col Chadha added.

The university authorities added that such checks would now be conducted on a daily basis, and entry of outsiders inside the campus would be strictly monitored. Further, a system of bar-coded stickers would be implemented, wherein the stickers would automatically be scanned at the university entrance gates.

How to enter campus

* Students, faculty members and non-teaching staff: They will be required to show their ID cards/stickers issued by respective departments, as instructed by the Chief University Security.

* Outsiders: After thorough checks are done, temporary passes will be issued to the outsiders who wish to visit the university for meeting faculty members or administrative officials. Outsiders who do not have prior permissions/appointments will be restricted from entering the campus.

* People wishing to visit the market area will be allowed in through Gate No. 2 only, and those visiting the residential quarters will be allowed in through Gate No. 3.